Bob Heleringer, a former Republican legislator from Kentucky, is publicly reacting to the tragic shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on Wednesday, carried out by his 23-year-old nephew, Robert “Robin” Westman.
The attack left two children dead and 17 others injured during a morning Mass attended by students and parishioners.
According to authorities, Westman fired through a church window while children and adults gathered inside, prompting survivors to hide beneath their classmates to escape the gunfire.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara called the incident “a deliberate act of violence,” while FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed it is being investigated as a potential domestic terrorism act and a hate crime targeting Catholics.
Heleringer, who represented parts of Louisville in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1980 to 2003, described his shock and sorrow over the attack.
“I wish he had shot me instead of innocent schoolchildren,” Heleringer told the Associated Press.
He said he is praying for his sister, her children and all the victims of the shooting.
Heleringer added that he had little contact with Westman and last saw him at a family wedding several years ago, per Trending Politics.
Adding to the personal dimension, Westman’s mother reportedly worked